Rafael Benitez is confident he has the full backing of all the Chelsea players despite the pressure continuing to build over his position at Stamford Bridge.

West Ham have won just one of their last seven games in the League but Gary O'Neil and Joe Cole insist they are not worried about the prospect of relegation.

Esteban Granero admits the next five games will determine whether Queens Park Rangers have any chance of staying in the Premier League.

Hamburg sporting director Frank Arnesen has confirmed he will hold talks with former club Chelsea about signing defender Jeffrey Bruma on a permanent basis.

A four-day festival will take place next to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park ahead of the Champions League final in London in May.

Neil Sullivan celebrated his 43rd birthday on Sunday but will consider offers to continue playing at the end of the season.

NEWHAM RECORDER

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is in no doubt that, on current form, Gareth Bale is the best player in the Premier League after the Tottenham ace stunned his men with a late winner at Upton Park on Monday night.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce was left to rue a Matthew Taylor miss which he felt would have put Monday night's London derby beyond Tottenham and meant that Gareth Bale's stunning late winner would have been nothing but a consolation.

MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

Jose Mourinho has warned United: "We are coming for you." The under-pressure Real Madrid chief says his destiny hinges on the outcome of next week's titanic Champions League showdown with United at Old Trafford.

Ryan Giggs's superb form for Manchester United has given manager Sir Alex Ferguson a selection headache ahead of the Real Madrid game.

Borussia Dortmund stiker Robert Lewandowski could be up for grabs for £18million this summer, according to a report.

Vincent Kompany should finally return to action at Aston Villa next Monday, after it was revealed the Manchester City skipper has suffered injuries to BOTH calves.

Manchester City's Brazilian defender Maicon will be on the sidelines for another month after undergoing surgery on his knee.

Oldham are feeling the 'ow' in 'owski' with stars James Tarkowski and James Wesolowski both facing late fitness tests ahead of Tuesday night's FA Cup fifth-round replay at Everton.

LIVERPOOL ECHO

South Yorkshire's chief constable has been warned by the police watchdog after accusing Hillsborough disaster campaigners of lying.

Liverpool striker Luis Suarez will not be investigated by the football authorities after being accused of stamping. Zenit St Petersburg complained that the Uruguayan deliberated trod on Tom Hubocan during last week's Europa League tie at Anfield.

Martin Skrtel admits he faces a fight to regain his place in the Liverpool team. The 28-year-old defender is currently sidelined with a thigh problem but had found himself out of favour at Anfield before the injury struck.

David Moyes insists Everton's failure to sign high-profile reinforcements in January - and his own contract uncertainty - must not be used as excuses for the club's current slump in form.

NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE

Papiss Cisse has revealed that Newcastle United have turned "a new page" in the aftermath of Demba Ba's exit last month.

Dan Gosling is believed to be open to a loan move away from Newcastle in order to gain some much-needed match practice.

Sammy Ameobi believes that his loan deal with Middlesbrough can help him reignite his Newcastle United career.

THE JOURNAL

Having finally made his Premier League debut, Newcastle United's Rob Elliot's next ambition is to become an international goalkeeper - and Giovanni Trapattoni could give him the chance.

Wes Brown may yet return to Sunderland duty this season, according to Martin O'Neill.

SUNDERLAND ECHO

Steven Fletcher says Sunderland keeper Simon Mignolet is "frighteningly" good - and now one of the the top goalkeepers in the game.

Transfer window signing Kader Mangane made his first appearance in a Sunderland shirt on Monday night but couldn't mark his debut with a victory. The Senegalese defender played the whole 90 minutes as the reserves drew 2-2 with Everton.

Jack Colback hopes Sunderland can rediscover last season's knack for late heroics to ease any renewed relegation worries.

BIRMINGHAM MAIL

Blackburn Rovers are due to approach West Brom over a potential loan move for Jerome Thomas.

Andi Weimann is confident Aston Villa can get themselves out of their current mess and stay in the Premier League.

Callum Reilly says Birmingham City must strive to do the basics well if they are to climb the Championship table.

Shane Long believes West Brom can use this weekend's game at Chelsea as the springboard to a concerted push for European qualification.

Dean Saunders says a lack of confidence has given a misleading impression that Wolves' players are not trying in matches.

EXPRESS & STAR

Aston Villa striker Andreas Weimann's future at the club is uncertain after talks over a new contract hit a snag.

West Brom striker Shane Long is keen to open talks over an extension to his Hawthorns contract.

Kevin Doyle has admitted for the first time that Wolves' players didn't have enough time or patience with sacked boss Stale Solbakken.

Goalkeeper Ben Foster has insisted West Brom will keep their foot on the pedal despite reaching their 40-point target with 11 games to spare.

DAILY ECHO

Rickie Lambert is closing in on yet another major milestone in his career after breaking through the 100-goal barrier for Southampton.

SOUTH WALES EVENING POST

Swansea City will head off on yet another bus parade on Tuesday with Garry Monk confident they can continue on the road to success.

Michael Laudrup has told his Swansea City players to savour their open-top bus ride - and then get back on the bike in the Premier League.

THE SENTINEL

Stoke defender Robert Huth faces a three-match ban after being charged by the FA on Tuesday afternoon with violent conduct.

Steven Nzonzi has been told to learn the lesson that life as a Stoke player is not always fair.

YORKSHIRE EVENING POST

Michael Tonge says Leeds United must get in touch with their caring side in their quest to gatecrash the Championship play-off picture.

Adam Pearson has distanced himself from a takeover of Leeds United owing to his commitment to rugby league.

EVENING GAZETTE

New signing Sammy Ameobi could link up with Mustapha Carayol to give Middlesbrough a threat down both wings, said Tony Mowbray.

THE BOLTON NEWS

Dougie Freedman says his Bolton team has come a long way since their first meeting this season with Peterborough and is confident they will show that in their display at the Reebok Stadium on Tuesday night.

LANCASHIRE TELEGRAPH

Michael Appleton has warned Blackburn Rovers fans not to expect too much too soon from Leon Best - as he renews his bid to bring West Brom winger Jerome Thomas to Ewood on loan.

THE STAR

Player-of-the-Year contender Anthony Gardner claims his partnership with Miguel Llera is flourishing at the heart of Sheffield Wednesday's rearguard because they have finally gelled.

Sheffield United's Tony McMahon enters Tuesday night's visit of Leyton Orient targeting the first of eight wins he believes will deliver promotion from League One.

EVENING TIMES

Scott Brown will almost certainly miss Celtic's Champions League last-16 clash with Juventus next week and Scotland's World Cup qualifying double-header against Wales and Serbia later in the month, according to Neil Lennon.

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Readers' Comments

I

t's wrong to be making a joke out of Bender's name at the expense of gay people. It's the kind of childish, uncivilised thing that Football365 would deride and ridicule if it was another media outlet saying. Why is there a need for jokes like this? Does it make your writers feel like men? F365 might suggest that I 'lighten up', but it is genuinely traumatic for people who have been oppressed all their lives to be the butt of jokes, and to be told...

ou can't blame De Gea for wanting to leave, he has enough to do in front of goal as it is as well as taking on the role of Man Utd's version of Derek Acorah in trying to contact and organise a defence that isn't there.